Pro-life leaders reject new Senate 'compromise' on abortion

December 17, 2009

Democratic majority leaders in the US Senate have presented a new amendment to the proposed health-care reform bill, hoping to satisfy concerns about abortion subsidies. But pro-life leaders said the proposal is “unacceptable,” and a Democratic lawmaker who might hold the deciding vote said that the new language “isn’t sufficient.”

Senator Ben Nelson of Nebraska—whose support the Democratic leadership probably needs to bring the health-care legislation up for a vote—told a radio interviewer that he is not satisfied by an amendment drafted by Pennsylvania’s Senator Robert Casey. Douglas Johnson of the National Right to Life Committee explained that the Casey proposal would allow federal subsidies for abortion coverage, while allowing citizens who objected to that coverage to avoid the federal program. Johnson said: “It is particularly offensive that the proposal apparently would make it the default position for the federal government to subsidize plans that cover abortion on demand, and then permit individual citizens to apply for conscientious-objector status.”

 

---

For all current news, visit our News home page.

---

 
Further information:

• Pro-Life Groups: Casey's Abortion-Health Care Compromise for Nelson No Good (LifeNews)
• Holdout senator rejects abortion compromise (Real Clear Politics)